RFP Staff

♦ Recently County Commissioner Craig Pierce proposed the moneysaving idea of obtaining a lease for the Rowan County Republican HQ at the West End Plaza which has plenty of empty space. In fact to avoid any conflict of interest he mentioned that space could be made available at the same price to the local Democrats for a Rowan County Democratic HQ as well. Such an offer would end any possible speculation about the five Republican County Commissioners being involved in improper conduct or favoritism. (Well almost end)

Just imagine if both political parties were housed in the “Mall of the Stars”: The West End Plaza what comradeship and brotherhood could be generated! Competitive tug of wars and paintball battles up and down the concourse. Red Cross Blood drives with each party volunteering the other.

The “Craigster” told the Rowan Free Press he intends to request that a lease for the Rowan County Republican Party HQ at the West End Plaza be placed on Monday’s County Commission agenda. “This proposed lease is nothing extraordinary,” said Pierce. “Since the West End Plaza was purchased back in 2013 our commissioners approved every lease put forward. Every space leased in the West End Plaza puts money in our county’s coffers.”

Most local Republicans we spoke to thought the lease idea at the West End Plaza had plenty of merit. It certainly would save either party plenty of money over Downtown leasing or HQing on Jake Alexander Boulevard and put money the county’s pocket.

Pierce earlier sent out an email to the Republican party Chairman Stephen Kidd, the county commissioners, the state legislators, the school board members, and other Rowan Republicans. It read, “This is an item you need to decide if it is worth your comfort to turn your back on your party that helped you get elected. That is the board’s decision. I will do what my party wishes as without them you would all be sitting at home every other Monday. Just giving you a heads up and I will make whatever comments I feel deserved.”

All eyes will be watching the Rowan County Commission meeting on Monday at 3 p.m. to see how the commissioners sort this out. A discussion seems worthwhile.

The Rowan County Commission meets Monday, May 2nd on the 2nd floor at the J. Newton Cohen, Sr. room of the County Administration Building at 130 West Innes Street in Salisbury:

ROWAN COUNTY COMMISSION AGENDA

Call to Order
Invocation
• Provided By: Chaplain Michael Taylor
Pledge of Allegiance
Consider Additions to the Agenda
Consider Deletions From the Agenda
Consider Approval of the Agenda
Board members are asked to voluntarily inform the Board if any matter on the agenda
might present a conflict of interest or might require the member to be excused from
voting.
• Consider Approval of the Minutes: April 18, 2016
1 Consider Approval of Consent Agenda
A. Acceptance of SRO Grant Award from State Farm for Sheriff’s Office
B. Rowan Transit System By-Laws Revision
C. Schedule Public Hearing for May 16, 2016 for Revisions in Administration-
Personnel Ordinance
D. Approval of Bid for the Purchase of Aircraft Ground Power Unit
E. Approval of Sole-Source Contract with Patterson Pope for High Density
Shelving
F. Approval of Proposal for the Replacement of Air Conditioning Unit
G. Surplus Vehicles
H. Proclamation for Let’s Get Connected Day
I. Proclamation for Law Enforcement Week
J. Proclamation To Establish May As Shield-A-Badge With Prayer Awareness
Month
K. Resolution Declaring Property Surplus and Authorizing the Sale of County-
Owned Property
L. History Museum Lease
2 Public Comment Period
3 Public Hearing to Consider Airport Hangar Financing Proposals
4 Proclamation – George Washington’s 225th Visit Tribute Day
5 Request for Approval of Change Order – Chamandy Drive
6 Consider Offer to Purchase Lot #9 in Speedway Business Park
7 Discussion Regarding Date For Budget Work Session
8 Consider Approval of Budget Amendments
9 Consider Approval of Board Appointments
10 Adjournment

Citizens with disabilities requiring special needs to access the services or public meetings
of Rowan County Government should contact the County Manager’s Office three days prior
to the meeting by calling (704) 216-8180.

For More Information about the Agenda Items (PDF):

http://agenda.rowancountync.gov/DisplayAgendaPDF.ashx?MeetingID=181

Kenny Hardin, Salisbury City Council

♦ We had our follow up meeting last Friday afternoon to finalize capital improvement items in the budget.

In the initial meeting two weeks prior, I requested that a line item for $300,000 marked for West End entrance beautification be removed from the budget. I didn’t feel this was a good use of that large amount of money for flowers, trees, shrubbery, and aesthetics when crime and gun play is so prevalent there.

At this meeting, however, I asked that the money remain in the West End. I offered a proposal that the $300,000 be given to Parks & Rec or integrated into the current West End Transformation budget line item.

I recommended that we partner with Rowan Cabarrus Community College and offer free certification courses in brick masonry, welding, and carpentry to be taught at the Miller Rec Center. Once the attendees complete the free course and are certified, they can pay it back by working with the City using their new skills to rehab abandoned, boarded up, and dilapidated houses on the West End.

My position was the money remains in the community and is used over and over there by those benefitting from the courses. I saw this as having an impact on our youth, the police, jobs and improving the look of the community.

My colleagues on the Council agreed with the proposal and added some additional good points to ensure this will be a successful initiative.

Todd Paris, Staff Writer and Salisbury Attorney

♦ Rowan Rural Save Our Schools made some major yardage today when BoE member Travis Allen and a fellow the majority of us supported in the last election showed flexibility when he changed his mind about the location of the West Consolidation and announced it on Facebook. Travis Allen, after facing serious questions from this citizens/parents/taxpayer group’s entreaties at West Rowan this weekend as to the dangers of the present” “West Consolidated” site next to a dangerous natural gas/electrical plant, is now searching for a new site.  Travis’s Facebook quote below.

While trying to distance the rest of the BoE from this embarrassing potential debacle, the question remains, why build a “West Consolidated” at all?

Wherever you put it, the bus times from the county line will still be too great. Most of the folks in Cleveland are very happy with their school. Why not sue the quarry for ruining our well and build a new “right-sized” Woodleaf Elementary in an area that has clean water and is close enough not to punish out most venerable, youngest children with long bus rides?

It will be easily half the cost of the “consolidated monster” and closer for the children. Granted sfL+a will not make as large a profit, but otherwise it makes sense?

Keep thinking “outside the box,” Travis, those little kids in West Rowan are depending on you to make sure they get home before dark every night and with enough energy to eat dinner and do their homework!

Quoted from Travis Allen’s Facebook Page:

“When things go wrong it is back to the drawing board. If you scroll down this facebook page you will see how the Godbey Rd. property was selected for the new elementary school.. That’s a long story so I will not go there again. Please drop down and read it if you wish.

You think finding a place to build a house is tough, try building an elementary school. Man oh man can that be a tough one. As I have stated before I was determined to fine a neutral site that is not in Cleveland and not in Woodleaf. I love both communities and just did not have the heart to give one community a new school and move the others. I felt a central location was best and I still do. However, we don’t live in a perfect world and that amazing piece of neutral property has no risk of blowing up or having a NASCAR type wreck in front of it does not exist. If it does I have not found it yet. Also, no matter what you pick you are not going to make everyone happy. If it is in Cleveland the Woodleaf community will feel cheated. If it is in Woodleaf the Cleveland folks will be upset. Dang this is a tuff one. A new school is needed for each location. This is not even debatable. However we can not justify building a new one for each community especially when Morgan, Rockwell, Bostian, Enochville, China Grove, and others are just as old and just as in need of replacement..

A few weeks ago the power plant located near the Godbey Rd property had a transformer explosion and a fire. I don’t think things happen by chance. I believe that God places things in our lives that get our attention and cause us to pause. Well after the explosion I didn’t just pause my heart went in reverse. I immediately along with other BOE members began a “step back and evaluate” process on the Godby Rd. property.

If blame needs to be placed upon anyone let me shoulder that burden. I was the one who found the location. You can not blame Josh Wagner nor Dr. Moody or Anthony Vann. I knew the power plant was there and I knew the intersection there at 801 and Godbey road had a few issues. The intersection was not a major concern because I felt that a traffic signal or round about could be placed there to fix that situation. My family had lived next door to the power plant for years. They had always been a good neighbor and we were told by emergency management that they posed very little risk and our site was safe. Transformers can blow up anywhere. There are thousands of them all over the county. You probably have one in sight of your house. What you don’t have is enough natural gas and diesel fuel in your yard to make Hiroshima and Nagasaki look like a back yard camp fire. That transformer had me thinking way before our community meeting at West Rowan last Thursday.

Many individuals voiced their concern about the safety of the location at that community meeting. You know what? They are right! I am listening.
While I do not speak for the BOE, I personally will no longer support that location. I have already began my search for a better location. I very well may have to compromise on my neutral site location. A school that houses 600 students needs water and sewer access that most of Woodleaf can not offer. The ground there often barley perks for a house septic system much less a septic system for 600 children. This fact pushes us closer to Cleveland and Hwy 70 where water and sewer are available. Also the community correctly pointed out that the closer you get to Cleveland the faster you get to FIRE, EMS and Police response times. No matter where the school is built the chance of longer bus rides are obvious. However, if we choose a site where sewer and water is close we can save enough to add buses to the new school. Choosing a location near water and sewer can save us close to 1 million.. I believe that if we add two or three buses we can keep the bus ride times the same and maybe even shorten them for some. This would also give us the funds to fix the roofs at Mt. Ulla and Morgan.

My desire for a new combined Woodleaf and Cleveland school has never been in question. I campaigned on the fact that I supported it and wanted it built sooner than latter. Everyone was well aware of that when I was elected. It should be of no surprise that I am aggressively pursuing it now. Our children deserve a new school. 90 year old buildings don’t last forever. Now onward to find the a suitable location. And folks, I am doing the best I can. I am human. I can’t make everyone happy with the location.

If you have 25+ acres in the Woodleaf or Cleveland area you want to sell hit me up. On second though the word “hit” is not a good term. How about just sending me a message or email.”

Todd Paris, Staff Writer and Salisbury Attorney

♦  RFP ran a gag last week about “Exodus Real Estate: The Gateway to Davidson County.” The gag had a point. Now it’s real. Someone close to me is looking to buy a nice house and pay cash for it. Rowan is no longer favored thanks to the BoE’s “Nightmare Scenario.” No they don’t have kids, they are just newly “offer shy” in Rowan because of the now newly unpredictable property values. Their Rowan County based, Seller’s Realtor has just now rushed out and completed additional training to become more proficient on selling Davidson County properties. Their realtor says numerous folks looking to move from one place in Rowan to another have decided to put a “hold” on those efforts until they see how the Nightmare Scenario shakes out. Many now are thinking about selling and moving out of county.  Can’t blame them–they’re looking out for their own best interests.

The real estate market had just started to recover and now Superintendent Moody and whoever put her up to “The Nightmare Scenario” that will bus over 4,000 elementary students and close six schools has apparently stalled the real estate market outside of Salisbury and announced to the world we are a dying county.

Way to go guys! The entire BoE and  Superintendent Moody should resign before they do more damage, and for that matter Rowan County Commission Chair Greg Edds as well. We all know that Edds, with his two “rubber-stamp, yes votes” (Klusman and Greene) on the commission that he is the de facto ruler of Rowan County. They are all unable or unwilling to change course and just need to go.

Smart parents in Rockwell and Granite Quarry are coming realize that while their schools are not being closed, that accepting Faith and Morgan’s kids will put them way over capacity and that it’s their kids that will be bussed as the BoE says, “to the I-85 corridor.” We all know what that means and it isn’t China Grove and Landis.

That’s why we don’t have good jobs. Salisbury first, municipal-centric politicians who get talked into stupid things “over lunch” with people who are just looking out for themselves at the expense of the entire community.

I call for a voting firestorm in this county. The rural residents did not mind cooperating with Salisbury for the common good, but we did not expect them to take advantage of us like this.

The Rowan County Commission meets tomorrow night at the Cohen Building at 3:00 p.m. Show up 15 min. early, to sign to speak. Edds will tell you that the Commission has no statutory authority to stop “The Nightmare Scenario.” That is correct, however he has the political power to stop it. He won’t, because his political supporters are “all about Salisbury.”

Wear red!

RFP Staff

“Ma’m you got 33 cents–that’s all I need to get gas in my tank to get back to China Grove.” Tony Rippey, the King of Salisbury Panhandlers and Ex-Chief Rory Collins’s DNA half-Brother

Bad luck and trouble, through no fault of his own, crossed the trail Wednesday of Tony Michael Rippey, when the Salisbury Police picked up Mr. Rippey, 51, on 107 S. Jackson near West Innes on a probation violation allegedly for failing to report an address change to the probation department.

Rippey is frequently observed panhandling along Main Street in Salisbury and in the Tinseltown shopping area where he sizes marks for his standard tale of being Chief Rory Collins’s “brother” and needing “gas money” to get back home. He also “works” Salisbury’s Fulton Heights area allegedly doing “lawn work”. People living in the area caution others never to pay him in advance.

Rippey, a noted outdoorsman and often described on the internet as a non-descript white male, has a lengthy history of crime in Rowan County and Texas. He allegedly has bragging rights to being the half-brother Rory Collins (Ex- Salisbury Police Chief, Ex-Housing Authority Security Guard, Police Department “Advisor”, Livingstone College “Grad” via life experience, and Salisbury Golden Parachutist)

Tony Michael Rippey’s Previous N.C. Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0345048&searchLastName=rippey&searchFirstName=tony&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Chief Rory Collins’s Deposition:

DEPOSITION OF EX-SALISBURY POLICE CHIEF RORY COLLINS (COMPLETE PDF.)

Photographic Golden Memories with Tony Michael Rippey and his half-brother Ex-Police Chief Rory Collins:

Tony Michael Rippey’s Most Recent Mugshot:

Tony and the Ex-Chief in Better Days:

Tony Posing for Posterity:

The Oxy-Chief and his Wife being Honored Down at City Hall for his Service and his Statistical Abilities:

A Bad Night in the Lone Star State:

Once a Marine–Always a Marine:

In Better Days for the Visionary Ex-Police Chief who Singlehandedly Cleaned up the West End by Allegedly Shrinking Police Services:

More Fab-u-lous Tony Michael Rippey Mugshots:

RFP Staff

♦ Salisbury Police Arrested Justin Ray Banks, 29, of the 200 block Mt. View Road in Salisbury and two Salisbury women: Monique Marie Bevan, 26, of the 200 block East 11th Street and Sabrina Diane Proffitt, 30, of the 1200 block of North Church Street for multiple counts of breaking and entry into vehicles and for larceny. In late March the two Salisbury women Bevan and Proffitt were arrested and charged with soliciting for prostitution in a large scale Winston-Salem Police Department Prostitution Sting.

Banks was charged with 2 counts of breaking and entering into vehicles (felony), resist/obstruct/delay an officer (misdemeanor), 3 counts of larceny (felony), larceny from a person (felony), and possession of a control substance schedule IV (misdemeanor). Under a secured $15,813 bond, Banks remains in the Rowan County Detention Center.

Proffitt was charged with 2 counts of breaking and entering into vehicles (felony), 3 counts of larceny (felony), and possession of a control substance schedule IV (misdemeanor). Under a secured $5,000 bond, she remains in the Rowan County Detention Center.

Bevan was charged with 3 counts of breaking and entering into vehicles (felony), larceny (felony), two counts of larceny (misdemeanor), and possession of a schedule IV substance (misdemeanor). Under a secured $15,000 bond, Bevan was detained briefly in the Rowan County Detention Center and has since been released on bond.

Police were summoned CiCi’s Pizza on 805 S. Jake Alexander Boulevard Sunday where a woman alerted them that her car was broken into and her purse was stolen. The windows were allegedly rolled down at the time. The Salisbury Police were alerted a short time later that a white Toyota was allegedly witnessed near the scenes of vehicle break-ins at K-Mart and the Hampton Inn. During the investigation an officer spotted a white Toyota and saw a teal green purse encrusted with rhinestones inside the car that was reported stolen. Banks, Bevan, and Proffitt were soon connected with other area vehicle breaking and entries and arrested.

Monique Marie Bevan’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0943935&searchLastName=bevan&searchFirstName=monique&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Justin Ray Banks Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1407686&searchLastName=banks&searchFirstName=justin&searchMiddleName=r&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Monique Marie Bevan:

Sabrina Diane Proffitt:

Justin Ray Banks:

RFP Staff

♦ Video: Rowan County Commission Meeting at 3 P.M. on Monday, May 2nd:

http://rowancountync.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=583

Todd Paris, Staff Writer and Salisbury Attorney

♦ RowanWorks EDC (”Rowandoesn’tWork”) director Rob Van Geons  called a special emergency meeting for Tuesday, May 3rd for Board Members. Even though this quasi-governmental commission is almost wholly supported by county and municipal tax dollars, its meetings are closed and secret.

While we don’t like to pry into this secret meeting, we suggest the following topics for discussion:

• The BoE’s public admission that Rowan is a dying county, how do we counter this?

• What do we do about complaints from local realtors claiming that home purchases out in the county have all but stopped after “the Nightmare Scenario” of busing over four thousand rural kids towards the I-85 corridor? How do we put a positive spin on this?

• Have one of Van Geons many job applications out of county and out of state been accepted and which Salisbury cabal tool do we appoint to replace him?

• How can we better support our hero and Bob Jones University graduate, Greg “1,000 hours of intensive study on economic development” Edds?

• There is a rumor is that this BoE debacle kicked the dirt off of Jim Side’s “political grave.” Is busing over 4,000 “rural” kids into Salisbury worth this?

• What do Salisbury ’s seven ruling families want us to do about this?

• The Easter Creek Project: Is it “game over?” What happens if we really can’t legally give away our industrial park to an anonymous LLC?

• Is saving Salisbury , through county-wide busing, worth sacrificing the entire county to the “Great Rowan Exodus of 2017?” Should it be abandoned?

Citizens need to reflect upon this:

“Know which officials are voted into office and which are appointed, and by whom.” Marilyn vos Savant

RFP Staff

♦ Video: With Rowan County in Deepening Crisis, County Commission Chairman Greg Edds Goes Strange and Irrational with Commissioner Craig Pierce Over a Simple Request to Place a Lease Discussion on Monday’s Agenda:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/chsn0fxu2ik5y02/05.02.16.County%20Commissioners%20Meeting.avi?dl=0

RFP Staff

♦ On Sunday Ronald Lee Rhinehardt, 33, and his wife Angela Kay Moneymaker, 32, of Fletcher Road in Rockwell were both charged with felony child abuse when their eight week old daughter was allegedly found with untreated fractures and broken bones. Rowan County Sheriff’s Office warrants spelled out that Rhinehardt “did intentionally commit an assault that resulted in serious bodily injury, multiple fractured ribs, a fractured arm , and a fractured leg” on his daughter. Further Angela Kay Moneymaker “failed to provide medical care for her eight weeks old baby after learning that her husband had shaken the baby possibly causing injuries as there was blood coming from the baby’s mouth.”

Rhinehardt and Moneymaker were both charged with child abuse a felony–any serious physical injury.

Under a secured $50,000 bond for the child abuse charge, Rhinehardt is being held in the Rowan County Detention Center. He currently amassed a total secure bond of $580,000 dollars for a number of charges since his arrest back in April.

Moneymaker, under a secured bond of $20,000 for her child abuse charge, remains in the Rowan County Detention Center with a total bond of $42,500 for charges she acquired after her April arrest.

The child’s current physical condition has not been released.

According to the NC DOJ website both Rhinehardt and Moneymaker have extensive criminal records.

Ronald Lee Rhinehardt’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=0756001&searchLastName=rhinehardt&searchFirstName=ronald&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Angela Kay Moneymaker’s Previous Record:

http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi/viewoffender.do?method=view&offenderID=1356908&searchLastName=Moneymaker&searchFirstName=angela&searchMiddleName=k&listurl=pagelistoffendersearchresults&listpage=1

Ronald Lee Rhinehardt:

Angela Kay Moneymaker:

April 4th RFP Article: “Angela Kay Moneymaker, a Gold Hill Felon, Arrested in Rowan County Tuesday Night for Breaking and Entering and a Stealing a Firearm”:

Angela Kay Moneymaker,32, a Goldhill Felon, was arrested late Tuesday night in Rowan County for multiple crimes including breaking and entering and stealing a firearm.

Moneymaker was charged with breaking and entering – building (felony), larceny (felony)–committed pursuant to violation of GS 14-51, 54, larceny of a firearm (felony), obtaining property by false pretenses (felony), weapons possession by a felon prohibited (felony).

Under a secured $20,000 bond, Moneymaker is being held at the Rowan County Detention Center in Salisbury, N.C.

RFP Staff

♦ In a recent FOIA request, Rowan Free Press learned that SFL+A stood to make $1,214,525 off designing, bidding, and administering the consolidated West Rowan elementary school. A total of 60% of that fee is contingent upon the project moving forward into the construction drawings, bidding, and final completion phases. This means that the SFL+A staff person at last week’s public hearing stood to loose $727,715 for his company if he could not persuade the crowd that the school and location was indeed a good idea.

This is the same company that is recommending the closure of several rural schools, and the busing of those students inward to the I-85 corridor, in order to generate enough pressure to justify them building an additional school in the future, which would generate another $1.2M fee for the company.

Two new schools would total $2.4M in architect fees real dollars that could go a long way toward maintenance at existing rural schools where PTA’s have had to raise funds for items that should have been covered under the school budget, including new playgrounds.

We have to hand it to SFL+A. They know how to line up future business.

RFP Staff

♦ An Emergency Rowan-Salisbury School Board Meeting is called for 5 P.M., May 5th at the Wallace Education Forum at 500 North Main. The topic is Consolidation.

Please attend this more reasonable 5 p.m. time and wear red or tie a red cloth around your arm. Get there early so you may obtain a seat.

In a recent conversation with fellow RFP staffers, Todd Paris told us the “Nightmare Scenario” is overwhelming the County Commission Chairman Greg Edds limited political prospects. It is widely known the hard sell insurance pitchman is in a major panic to save himself, Wagner, and Cox from certain political extinction. Since Edds’ political future flickered out due to his cheerleader support for Consolidation, Superintendent Moody, and busing our kids toward low performing schools in Salisbury, Edds appears to be turning every moment into a dire emergency. Loose talk abounds that Edds will reveal his doomsday “masterplan” to save the bottom rung school system. The current schoolboard has certainly deep-sixed home sales in Rowan.

Know that any promise to abandon the “Nightmare Scenario” will only be kept until the day after the election. Wagner, Cox, and Hughes must be voted out. If Gene Miller runs for Chuckie’s seat he must not get a single vote. It’s alleged Edds handpicked Gene Miller to replace Hughes.

See you Thursday!

Greg Edds:

RFP Staff

♦ Apparently Salisbury City Manager Lane Bailey was on probation. Hired over a year ago in February 2015, Bailey came from Lenior after the city decided not to hold an originally planned assessment center including a panel of citizen interviewees through its original hiring consultant. Word is the city did not get many qualified applicants, and putting a poor slate of candidates before a citizen panel would have embarrassed the city council.

The city manager world is close knit and the Salisbury City Council doesn’t have the best professional reputation when it comes to how it treats its city employees. Just ask former Police Officer Kenny Lane who recently won a large settlement after Human Resources Manager Ruth Kennerly (a Mayor Pro Tem Maggie Blackwell favorite) unprofessionally terminated him while backing a Police Chief taking pain synthetic heroin pills on a regular basis. Kennerly remains under Blackwell’s protection despite her poor decision making and the resulting large settlement.

Without disclosing it to the public, the Salisbury City Council had Lane Bailey on probation, disclosing this fact for the first time last night at their council meeting. We doubt the city council will disclose the reason for the probation or the content of the discussion taking place in closed session. We expect them to act like it was just “standard procedure” to keep a good face on things like they have attempted to do with rising crime and failing schools within the city limits. We know better.

RFP Staff

♦ Wednesday morning around 5:30 a.m. a yet to be identified Black man was seriously gut shot during a home invasion at a yellow mobile style home at 1032 Glock Court in the Salisbury area. Its alleged that multiple persons were involved in the home invasion-robbery. Rowan County Sheriff’s Office sources believe the home was specifically targeted for the robbery, but at this time have not provided motives.

Sheriff’s vehicles and investigators swarmed the area. Yellow crime scene tape encircled the front yard of the mobile home. EMS were early on the scene to apply emergency treatment to the wounded man.

The victim was transported by AirCare, an emergency helicopter service, to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem for treatment. The wounded man’s condition has not been released.

The shooting remains under investigation. At this time no suspects have been named.

if anyone has any information about this robbery they are asked to call the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office at 704-216-8700 or call Salisbury-Rowan County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5345.

**This article will be updated as more information arrives.”

Kenny Hardin, Salisbury City Councilman

♦ The inability and refusal of the full Council to vote on the zoning issue was personally embarrassing to me. Sending the measure to a special committee for further discussion and review was unnecessary and a disservice to the citizens.

The residents of the affected North Fulton Street Community made it expressly clear they did not want the business (“The Wedding”) in their community, so what needs to be further discussed or what other compromises need to be made?

The residents came out in force to say it was not a good fit for their neighborhood. So, to delay a vote this way was a slap in their face and saying your voice was not important enough to do our duty.

Council Members have had well over a month to review and familiarize themselves with information and spent nearly three hours during the meeting hearing additional information presented. So if a decision couldn’t be rendered, it had nothing to do with not having adequate time and access to all information. That was political posturing, pacification, and political cowardice.

I shared my displeasure and discontent with this political stall tactic. I was elected to make difficult decisions and we owe it to those who instilled confidence in us to make those tough decisions. We wasted a lot of people’s time and lost respect last night.

Yes we need businesses and revenue, but not at the expense of compromising the integrity of our communities. People have a right to find solace, safety, and comfort in where they live. Business should never take precedence over that.

We have enough empty buildings in downtown Salisbury and in other areas of this City that could be used instead of forcing the complexion of a neighborhood to change. If we’re funding Rowan Works and DSI then task them with finding suitable locations.

We need industry and not just businesses that cater to a come and go clientele. When this business leaves, the neighborhood will still be there.

Rowan Board of Elections

♦ Sample Ballot for 13th Congressional District Republican Primary Election on June 7th :

https://enr.ncsbe.gov/voter_search_public/ballot_pdf.aspx?cid=80&eid=55&bs=R037

RFP Staff

♦ Early this morning the Rowan Free Press learned that a number of convenience stores across Salisbury were being raided by A.L.E. and local law enforcement. It was all apart of a statewide A.L.E. crackdown on electronic gaming devices. It’s said some 150 convenience stores and filling station marts were visited across the state, including the Pop Shoppe on West Innes Street and Statesville Blvd. in Salisbury as well as others around the city. Unmarked state vehicles, Police cars, and Sheriff Office vehicles wheeled into lots, doors slammed, and warrants were flashed to startled employees. Electronic gaming devices were wheeled out the door. These same scenes were happening allover North Carolina Thursday morning.

N.C. statutes read “Any person or organization that operates any game of chance or any person who plays at or bets on any game of chance at which any money, property or other things of value is bet, whether the same be in stake or not, shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.”

It’s expected that a large number of convenience store owners and managers will be showing up in court all across North Carolina.

The Pop Shoppe on West Innes Street and Statesville Boulevard:

RFP Staff

♦ This evening the Board of Education narrowly voted 4 to 3 to scrap SfL+A Architects’ ill-advised “nightmare scenario” to close four county elementary schools: Mt. Ulla, Morgan, Faith, and Enochville and to send our kids to low performing schools in the direction of Salisbury. Board member Dean Hunter made the motion to dismiss consideration for the school closings. Voting for ending the nightmare scenario were Chuck Hughes, Travis Allen, Dean Hunter, Josh Wagner. Voting to continue the nightmare scenario were Susan Cox, Richard Miller, and Jean Kennedy. Know that if one BoE member voted with the Nightmare Scenario members, the nightmare would continue. It still could. Know that Hughes was adamant about going forward with it only few days ago.

Unlike the previous BoE meeting where there was public commenting, tonight there was no conversation between the BoE and Rowan Rural Save Our Schools (RRSOS). RRSOS members had many unanswered questions and felt a great sense of dissatisfaction with the lopsidedness of BoE’s lopsided approach. Even though BoE claims there is no scenario 2 and 3 still very large topics of discussion such as the West Consolidation went unaddressed. The BoE are all elected to office–they need to be more responsive to the voters.

The BoE claims they are moving the location of West Consolidated to spot to be named later. Where pray tell? Is this what Woodleaf Parents really desire or do they really want to keep their school? Maybe they want to build a new “right-sized Woodleaf elementary? Does a reasonable plan to save Woodleaf Elementary exist?

RRSOS has no intention of abandoning our families from the West if they are unsatisfied with a new location. Some of those families must be wondering if we will abandon them like some members of the BoE and the Superintendent are doing. We will not forget what some parents living near the Iredell line in West Rowan sais about the long bus rides their children undergo already.

Perhaps RRSOS should host a meeting in the West before we even think about “settling”. There’s no way any of the folks in RRSOS are going to trust many in the BoE to have our best interests at heart. No way is RRSOS going to shut down its PAC and head out to sun themselves in their lounge chairs. No dawg they are going to keep working it.

Recognize this war is far from over. Wagner and Cox already showed their hand and have proven themselves untrustworthy and must be voted out in the upcoming election. Hughes has demonstrated much vacillation and frankly odd and hostile behavior. He needs to punch out and go home. It’s said that the Salisbury bankers and real estate families may run Gene Miller for the Salisbury seat. He is a natural born enemy of education and loves to toss taxpayer money at construction.

We greatly appreciate the enormous efforts of our friend Todd Paris for shaping our Rowan Rural Save Our Schools into a powerful coalition that continues to gain mass. A fist in the air for Dean Hunter and Travis Allen for recognizing the challenges this architectural firm’s alleged research and scenario 1 caused. A lion’s roar for all the RRSOS parents and concerned citizens who have come out in support.

The war is far from over. Our children’s education is in danger as long as Superintendent Moody and Anthony Vann remain on the school system’s payroll. They do the bidding of their Salisbury banking and real estate masters. The current Rowan Salisbury School System wastefully hurls money at overages and building low priority construction like the “Blunder-dome” on 500 North Main.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools grades are abysmal and scare off parents from remaining in Rowan County or coming here.

If Rowan Rural Save Our Schools didn’t shake their spears we’re certain SfL+A would’ve opened the bus doors for our kids to take the long ride to substandard education.

**More information and photos will be added to this article as they arrive.**

RFP Staff

♦ Video: When Rowan Rural Save Our Schools Drew a Line in the Sand at the Town Hall Meeting on April 28th.  All Power to the People! When the School Board Claimed Last Night They had No Intentions of Going Forward with Scenario I, They Knew They Faced Decimation at the Ballot Box.  Keep Bringing It–This Battle isn’t Over:

Chuck Hughes, BoE, Salisbury, N.C.

♦ Although I welcomed and participated in a conversation about a long term plan for Rowan/Salisbury Schools, neither I, nor to my knowledge, any other member of the board, including Mrs. Cox, Dr. Miller or Mrs. Kennedy, embraced the overreach of what is now known as Scenario #1.

As was stated at Thursday evening’s meeting, the board realized from the start that Scenario #1 was not doable nor was it a solution to the capital needs of the school system. However, it motivated this board to do what past boards have failed to do, initiate a discussion about the need for a long-term plan to address replacing our 90 year old schools as funding allows. This discussion DID NOT INCLUDE CLOSING SIX SCHOOLS nor did it endorse busing 4000 students from their current schools to schools across the county, now or in the future, as news media and individuals who are ignorant of the facts or wish to ignore the facts report. Do not let people with self-serving agendas convince you otherwise.